Hey, that name sounds familiar! Well, it's SeaWorld's take on the famous Cirque du Soleil ("circus of the sun"); this "circus of the sea" features clowns, acrobats and watercraft stunts in an abstract show that plays each summer in the waterfront stadium on San Diego's Mission Bay. As with Cirque du Soleil shows, the pace of Cirque de la Mer varies from frenzied to measured and elegant. TPI Kid Natalie summed it up more simply, however: "That's so good, it's freaky!"

Personally, I like Cirque de la Mer because it features the best ongoing "audience volunteer" gag ever.

And by "best," I mean, of course, "just unspeakably cruel." :-)

Here's an excerpt. The guy in the life-jacket was just selected from the audience and brought onto the JetSki:

You can watch the rest of the show here. For what it's worth, I haven't gotten an on-the-record confirmation of it, but the "volunteer" has gotta be a plant.

East coast theme park fans, please don't be confused. A show with same name played for a few years in Orlando's SeaWorld park, but it was nothing like the San Diego show. Orlando's Cirque de la Mer played in an indoor theater and offered nowhere near the grand scope of San Diego's show.

What's your take on Cirque de la Mer? How far can it go in this year's tournament? Share your thoughts in the comments.